This invention relates generally to decorative devices for pierced ears or "earrings" and more particularly to earrings having two decorative ends which can be progressively "added to" such that the basic earring may serve as a simple earring suitable for wearing everyday to an extremely elaborate earring for short term wear for a show or formal wear. The earrings are particularly useful for show animals such as dogs, cats, horses and include means to protect the animals ear from irritations due to excessive scratching or rubbing.
The decorative add on portions of the earrings are preferably designed to identify and be associated with a particular animal wearing the earrings. For example, an earring particularly suitable for a French poodle can be built up and added to, to provide the appearance of an elaborate French key with a fleur de lis, etc., and the facsimile of a head of a french poodle.
It is, of course, common knowledge that decorations for various parts of the body including the ear have been used in all cultures from the earliest and most primitive to the most cosmopolitan of today. Such decorations have been used for both humans as well as different domestic animals. Although several methods of attaching decorations to the ear have been used, one of the oldest and still most commonly used is to pierce the ears and pass a portion of the decorative device through the ear. For example, an investigation of the available references relative to the field of earrings revealed two recent patents that have issued in this field. One reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,089 and issued to Kenneth M. Gagnon on Mar. 23, 1976, describes a two part securing device, one part having a stud extending therefrom and a second part having a clutch means with a central opening in the clutch means into which the stud may be passed and gripped. The clutch means inside the second part is a resilient member molded from nylon, rubber or a synthetic rubber, and has a cylindrical aperture therein with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the stud secured to the other decorative end. It will become clear hereinafter, this securing device when used for earrings is suitable for use with humans but would not be suitable for use with animals such as dogs, cats, horses and the like due to excessive rubbing or scratching by such animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,199 issued to John D. Boykin on Apr. 10, 1979, discloses a specific design of an earring comprising two portions. Each of said two portions being made of a clear material which defines a hollow and which is in the shape of a dog bone. The hollow ends are then filled with a specific colored liquid. One side of the decorative bone earring has a shaft which is passed through the pierced ear. The shaft itself includes a threaded recess. The other end of the bone includes a threaded rod suitable for screwing into the threaded recess of the shaft to secure the two sections of the decorative together. The specific decorative earrings described in this device is suitable for human use, but as will become clear hereinafter would not be suitable for animals due to excessive scratching or rubbing of the animal.
Therefore, it should be clear that the above discussed patents as well as any other available prior art is not particularly relevant to the present invention, as these devices are not suitable for use by animals which might tend to scratch or rub the earring. In addition the prior art earrings do not lend themselves to be changed in appearance. Therefore, to change the appearance of a typical earring requires removal of the earring and replacement with a new and differently decorated earring.